Gone Globe-Trottin'

If you've ever wondered how to turn your life as you know it upside down, here are some easy steps to follow:

Step 1: Apply to a teaching program in new and different corner of the Earth; get in and accept position.

Step 2: Buy a one-way plane ticket.

Step 3: Quit job, say good-bye to friends and family and pack, fold, roll up your life into a suitcase  [Or in my case, two suitcases and one backpack.]

* Warning: steps will in some cases result in emotional turmoil, existential crisis, anxiety and getting really worked up over finding some inane object (like a maxi skirt, example) that you can use as a buffer to direct all your anxiety towards, until you find it and then you have to face your own stress and growing fear.

Chances are if you are reading this, you know me, so welcome to Hannah's shiny new blog to document my travels and explorations to Israel, where I will be teaching English over the next 10 months.  

The program I am embarking on will take me to Beit She'an where I will be housed with several other North Americans (who I do not yet know) choosing to do the same experience.  Over the next 10 months we'll be learning how to be educators and about life in Israel.   

Beit She'an is in the Northern corner of Israel, towards cities like Tiberius and Nazareth and relatively close to the Sea of Galilee. I've heard it described as a bit like Phoenix, Arizona, Burlington, Vermont and heaven-- so at this point, I really do not know what to expect...But it seems that a common theme is that it is hot.  After having survived two winters in Vermont, I'm not necessarily against that!  Although over the past few weeks, it's been very weird seeing kids go back to school, the leaves on the trees begin to change color and jeans and plaid shirts come out of hiding, while I know that I won't be a part of that.

Instead I'm heading to Roman ruins and apparently Israel's only Australian Park - complete with several kangaroos.  

So at this point, I've speculated, imagined and hypothesized what might happen when I leave.  I do not know if I find my calling, or dislike it; fall in love, or get my heart broken; gain 20 pounds or lose it; it's really all on the table and anything could happen!    

Obviously, I will try my best to blog about it so I can stay in touch with you lovely people on the stateside, but this is my first crack at blogging, so bear with me!

xoxo,

Hannah